National Women’s Studies Association
About National Women’s Studies Association
Serving the Chicago, IL area and beyond, the National Women's Studies Association represents a vibrant community of over 3,000 individual and 350 institutional members dedicated to advancing feminist knowledge and social justice. Founded in 1977, NWSA has built a legacy of promoting synergistic relationships between scholarship, teaching, and civic engagement to foster understanding of culture and society. The organization's mission centers on illuminating why women's studies are vital to education and supporting members in their pursuit of knowledge to create a just world free from oppressive ideologies and exploitative systems. NWSA recognizes that feminist education extends far beyond traditional classrooms, actively engaging women's centers staff and campus-based organizations as partners in transforming educational and social landscapes. Through diverse Constituency Groups, the Association creates member-driven spaces where scholars and activists explore shared interests, foster professional standards, and build networks of support grounded in collective socio-political locations. Members access ongoing discussion threads, share curriculum resources, and participate in communities that reconnect, repair, and restore trust within the field. NWSA's commitment to multivocality celebrates the diverse voices and perspectives that shape feminist education and activism, recognizing that meaningful transformation requires collaboration among administrators, artists, organizers, K-12 educators, students, and feminists across all disciplines working together to build feminist futures.